Colored cap for disposable beverage bottle

ABSTRACT

The invention is directed to a colored cap for a disposable beverage bottle. The cap is provided in a broad variety of different colors and corresponds to the color of the accompanying seal ring, such that a bottler may provide a differently colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring on each bottle in a package of multiple bottles. Sufficient colors are provided to support 12, 24, or 36 users with a different color cap and seal ring for each user. Preferably, the bottles are packaged such that four colors are used in a 12-pack, four or six colors are used in a 24-pack, and six colors are used in a 36-pack.

This application relates back to, and claims the priority of Provisional Patent Application No. 62/588,390 filed on Nov. 19, 2017.

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

Not Applicable

REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates generally to beverage containers, and in particular to a colored cap for a disposable beverage bottle. The use of disposable plastic water bottles and other disposable beverage bottles has become very common. Large quantities of these identical bottles may be distributed and consumed in a short time span at a particular event, or during a drought or natural disaster, which may lead to some confusion over the ownership of a particular bottle of water or other beverage.

A search of the prior art reveals various devices which have been developed to address this set of problems, or related problems. None are closely related to the present invention, but several include features which resemble those of the present invention. Each has proven to be less than satisfactory for the present purpose in its own way.

Color coded beverage cap collection with permanent passive indicia indicating beverage bottle user identities, U.S. Pat. No. 6,745,505 (priority Oct. 15, 2002), provides a collection of beverage bottles includes respective color-coded beverage caps. The beverage caps have permanent passive non-verbal indicia indicating the identity of the user of an unencumbered beverage bottle without tangible surface-interfering customized or temporary identifiers, such as tangible surface interfering elements, including stick-on labels, customized beverage can lids, or modified surfaces of beverage containers. The color-coded bottle caps are used as the actual caps for conventional beverage bottles. The color-coded caps do not add cumulative indicia to the bottle caps, in additional to pre-existing indicia, such as brand name logos, on the bottle caps.

Bottle-cap identification system, U.S. Patent Appl. No. 2009/0026104A1 (priority Jul. 28, 2007), provides a bottle-cap identification system which includes a double or, alternatively, single layer coating applied to top and sides of a twist-top bottle cap and its appendant stationary connection ring. The double layer coating consists of an inner colored painting with stripe pattern and an outer opaque black layer. The single layer coating includes only the opaque substance and is applied directly to a cap and ring, whereby the cap and ring is either of solid color or features the genuine brand design. The black layer is composed of a polymer with weaker cohesive than adhesive bonds, which prevents the color of cap and ring from being seen through and enables its removal by scratching. Such scratching results in a marking randomly exposing the inner layer or, respectively, the cap and ring itself. The marking and its alignment on cap and ring serve as criterion for recognition and identification of the bottle.

Color-coded closure system with heat attached tamper evidencing band, U.S. Patent Appl. No. 2005/0205513A1 (priority Aug. 20, 2003), provides a packaging system for improved management of cap inventory when different beverages, such as different types of milk (skim, 1%, 2% and whole) or water (spring, distilled, fortified, mineral etc.) are bottled in the same bottling lines at various facilities. The system includes maintaining a supply of standard caps, which may be free of colorants or pigments, and a supplies of reels of different colored (or differently printed) shrinkable band material. The different types of beverage are bottled in containers that have a single standard cap and standard uniform bottles, and the different contents of said bottles are differentiated from one another by the application of colored (or distinctively printed) bands. The cap and/or the bottle neck are adapted to be engaged by the band in a way that protects the bottle from being tampered with, and when threaded caps are used, helps prevent the inadvertent loosening of the caps during in shipment. In an alternative embodiment, a band is strapped over the top of the cap and is heat welded or otherwise adhered at both ends to the bottle neck, effectively restricting removal of the bottle cap without detaching at least one end of the band.

Readily identifiable clear plastic water and other beverage bottles, U.S. Patent Appl. No. 2007/0007228A1 (priority Jul. 6, 2005), provides a readily identifiable individual bottle for packaging at least one of water and other beverages therein. The individual bottle includes a molded plastic bottle body portion having each of a predetermined shape, a predetermined volume and a first predetermined color. There is a threaded neck portion disposed adjacent an upper end of the body portion and a threaded cap portion having a second predetermined color.

Bottle cap for individualized identification, U.S. Patent Appl. No. 2012/0138563A1 (priority Oct. 26, 2010), provides a Personally identifiable closures for a beverage container and methods for the use of such closures with a variety of beverage containers (particularly those with a threaded neck region) are provided, in order to allow users to alleviate potential individual confusion over beverage container identity. The personally identifiable closure includes a substantially circular cover; a skirt region depending from the periphery of the cover and extending to a circumferential flange spaced opposite the cover; and, a region on the cover, skirt, or both the cover and the skirt that is customizable with individual user personal identification indicia. User-selectable indicia include letters, numbers, colors, images or graphics, and logos, which the user can use in order to associate the closure, or cap, with their individual beverage container.

Reusable bottle cap having identification means, U.S. Pat. No. 9,327,876 (priority Dec. 23, 2009), provides a reusable bottle cap system includes a bottle cap and a bottle cap cover. The bottle cap includes a stem portion extending downwardly from a flanged portion. When in use the stem portion is used to seal a bottle mouth. When the bottle cap is not in use the bottle cap cover encloses and houses the stem portion to protect it from debris. The flanged portion includes a complementary mating structure. The bottle cap cover includes a mating structure that engages the complementary mating structure to secure the bottle cap cover to the flanged portion. When the bottle cap cover is secured to the flanged portion the stem portion extends substantially to a closed bottom end of an inside surface of the bottle cap cover.

If a device were available which easily distinguished the bottles of different users from each other, it would be very useful and would be well received. A colored cap for a disposable beverage bottle, which is provided in a broad variety of different colors and corresponds to the color of the seal ring, such that a bottler may provide a differently colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring on each bottle in a package of multiple bottles, would help to preserve the environment and conserve water, and would resolve this problem.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the invention is directed to a colored cap for a disposable beverage bottle. The cap is provided in a broad variety of different colors and corresponds to the color of the accompanying seal ring, such that a bottler may provide a differently colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring on each bottle in a package of multiple bottles. Sufficient colors are provided to support 12, 24, or 36 users with a different color cap and seal ring for each user. Preferably, the bottles are packaged such that four colors are used in a 12-pack, four or six colors are used in a 24-pack, and six colors are used in a 36-pack.

Additional features and advantages of the invention will be set forth in the description which follows, and will be apparent from the description, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory and are intended to provide further explanation of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The accompanying drawings are included to provide a further understanding of the invention and are incorporated into and constitute a part of the specification. They illustrate one embodiment of the invention and, together with the description, serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a side view of four examples of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the caps 10, the seal rings 11, and the bottles 12.

FIG. 2 is a side view of six examples of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the caps 10, the seal rings 11, and the bottles 12.

FIG. 3 is a side perspective view of six examples of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the caps 10, the seal rings 11, and the bottles 12.

FIG. 4 is a front perspective view of six examples of the first exemplary embodiment, displaying the caps 10, the seal rings 11, and the bottles 12.

FIG. 5 is a front perspective view of two examples of the first exemplary embodiment with the caps removed, displaying the caps 10, the seal rings 11, and the bottles 12.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring now to the invention in more detail, the invention is a colored cap 10 for a disposable beverage bottle 12.

The first exemplary embodiment is comprised of a disposable plastic beverage bottle 12 which provides a colored cap 10 and a corresponding colored seal ring 11. The colors are configured and coordinated such that a bottler may provide a differently colored cap 10 and a corresponding colored seal ring 11 on each bottle 12 in a package of multiple bottles 12. Sufficient colors are provided to support 12, 24, or 36 users with a different color cap 10 and seal ring 11 for each user. Preferably, the bottles are packaged such that four colors are used in a 12-pack, four or six colors are used in a 24-pack, and six colors are used in a 36-pack. Each user may remember the color of the cap 10 on the bottle 12 that was opened by that particular user, and thereby use the color of the seal ring 11 to claim a particular bottle 12.

To use the first exemplary embodiment, the user may remove the cap 10 from the bottle 12, and may elect to either retain the cap 10, or remember the color of the cap 10. If at any subsequent time some confusion arises regarding the ownership of a particular bottle 12, the user may match the color of the seal ring 11 to the color of the cap 10, to claim the bottle 12.

The cap 10, the seal ring 11, and the bottle 12 are preferably manufactured from a rigid or semi-rigid, durable material such as plastic. Components, component sizes, and materials listed above are preferable, but artisans will recognize that alternate components and materials could be selected without altering the scope of the invention.

While the foregoing written description of the invention enables one of ordinary skill to make and use what is presently considered to be the best mode thereof, those of ordinary skill in the art will understand and appreciate the existence of variations, combinations, and equivalents of the specific embodiment, method, and examples herein. The invention should, therefore, not be limited by the above described embodiment, method, and examples, but by all embodiments and methods within the scope and spirit of the invention. 

I claim:
 1. A colored cap for a disposable plastic beverage bottle which provides a differently colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring on each bottle in a package of multiple bottles, with colors that are coordinated such that a bottler may provide a differently colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring on each bottle in a package of multiple bottles.
 2. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein a disposable plastic beverage bottle provides a colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring.
 3. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein the colors are configured and coordinated such that a bottler may provide a differently colored cap and a corresponding colored seal ring on each bottle in a package of multiple bottles, with sufficient colors provided to support 12, 24, or 36 users with a different color cap and seal ring for each user.
 4. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein preferably, the bottles are packaged such that four colors are used in a 12-pack, four or six colors are used in a 24-pack, and six colors are used in a 36-pack.
 5. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein each user may remember the color of the cap on the bottle that was opened by that particular user, and thereby use the color of the seal ring to claim a particular bottle.
 6. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein the user may remove the cap from the bottle, and may elect to either retain the cap, or remember the color of the cap.
 7. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein if at any subsequent time some confusion arises regarding the ownership of a particular bottle, the user may match the color of the seal ring to the color of the cap, to claim the bottle.
 8. The colored cap of claim 1, wherein the cap, the seal ring, and the bottle are preferably manufactured from a rigid or semi-rigid, durable material such as plastic. 